Is a trade to Dallas the reason Seattle safety Earl Thomas is uncertain for Sunday?
,,Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas missed practice Friday for the second time in three days and now is uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters said Thomas was not injured and missed practice for personal reasons. He’s said “we’ll see” when asked about his availability for Sunday.
It all raises questions about whether a possible trade to the Cowboys is back in the works.
A source close to Thomas, however, had a one-word answer when asked about a trade. being the reason for his absence.
“Nope,” was the brief reply.
He also said that Thomas should play in the game.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen responded in kind when asked if they were engaged in any trade talks.
“No, we’re not.,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan Friday afternoon. “We’re not exchanging any calls or any information at this time.”
Thomas rejoined the Seahawks before the season opener after holding out all summer in hopes of a new contract extension and proposed trade to the Cowboys was rejected.
The Cowboys offered a second round pick and the Seahawks wanted a first, per a source.
With the trade deadline set for Oct. 30, there was the thought that the situation would be revisited.
Might that time be now?
Thomas has already expressed interest in joining the Cowboys if he couldn’t finish his career in Seattle. He grew up a Cowboys fan in Orange, Texas and played in college at the University of Texas.
He famously entered the Cowboys locker room after a game at AT&T Stadium last December and told Cowboys coach Jason Garrett to come get him.
The Cowboys tried to trade for Thomas at the start of free agency in March and during the draft before the last exchange for the start of the season.
With former Seahawks coach Kris Richard on board as the team’s secondary coach/passing game coordinator, the Cowboys see Thomas as a perfect for the back end of the defense.
A trade makes the most sense for the Seahawks, who have shown no inclination of giving Thomas the contract he demands.
He is in the final year of his contract.
There is little chance he returns to Seattle as free agent in the offseason. A second or third round pick from the Cowboys in the 2019 NFL Draft beats the third round compensatory pick they would get for his departure in 2020.
This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 6:02 PM.